Sweet Childhood Rituals Every 20th-Century Kid Remembers (16 Photos)

Childhood is the happiest, most carefree time of our lives—too bad we usually only realize it after growing up! Adults have to go to work, earn a living, take care of families, and worry about the present and the future. For a kid, all that matters is having a blast, watching a favorite cartoon, and hanging out with friends.





So let's take a trip down memory lane and recall those quirky childhood rituals we bet you know all too well!



Who among us hasn't uttered a magic phrase when split by a pole or tree while walking with a friend? The rule was simple: if a lamppost came between you, you had to perform the ritual instantly to prevent a fight, or a big argument was guaranteed!





Did you ever play "the floor is lava"? The goal was to avoid touching the "scalding" floor at all costs—leaping across chairs, furniture, and anything above ground to stay safe. Sometimes it was quicksand, a swamp, or acid, but the rule was always the same.



Every kid knew that stepping on a manhole cover brought bad luck. To ward off the curse, someone had to tap you on the back to wipe it clean. Maybe half our adult problems stem from forgetting to do this!



Cracks in the pavement were another hazard to dodge. Sidestepping a long fissure with a quick jump was pure thrill. Before smartphones, PCs, and endless TV channels, kids could turn anything into a game!



Plenty of adults still do this one—and maybe you do too! Whenever you catch matching numbers on a digital clock (12:12, 00:00, 22:22), you have to make a wish. Legend has it, it's bound to come true.



Here's another habit that's hard to break... Whenever you share good news and don't want to jinx it, you knock on wood three times—often accompanied by a quick symbolic spit over your shoulder.



What does an adult do if they accidentally step on someone's foot? Apologize and move on. What about a kid? They'll insist you step on their foot in return—otherwise, a fight is bound to happen!



If someone stepped over you while you were lying down, they had to step backwards over you immediately! Otherwise, you'd stop growing. Luckily, we're all grown up now, so no need to worry about that anymore.



Another classic wish-making ritual: if a loose eyelash fell out, you'd ask someone to guess which cheek it was on. Once guessed, they'd make a wish and blow it off your finger. If it flew away, the wish would come true!



How does an adult react when a giant pimple pops up on their nose? Total disaster! But as kids, we knew better: a pimple on your nose meant someone was secretly in love with you. And the bigger the pimple, the deeper their love!



Yet another wish-making trick—we really had big dreams back then! Whenever you found yourself sitting between two people with the same first name (like two Tanjas), you had to hold their hands and make a wish. Wonder if that still works today?



This wish-making trick was the simplest of all: find a lilac flower with five petals and... eat it. Just don't get too carried away—an adult stomach might not handle it as well!



After a rainstorm, every kid did the exact same thing: find the biggest puddle and jump right into it at full speed! No hidden meaning—just pure fun. Shame adults can't really get away with that anymore.



Whenever cartoon characters held their breath underwater, we'd sit in front of the TV and hold ours too—just to test how long we could last!



And finally, the ultimate classic: making funny faces and mimicking a friend when they got mad at you. Don't even try to pretend you never did it!